MSS
The Maryland Society of Surveyors (MSS) and the Mayor's Office of Employment Development (MOED) in Baltimore have teamed up to offer an intern, mentor and workforce development program to introduce high school students to a career in surveying. At the society's annual convention in October, the two organizations presented the results of the Future Surveyors Program's first year, featuring presentations and a panel discussion highlighting the students' experience. A threepartvideo was made. The program has also been featured on Mayor Catherine Pugh's website and in P.O.B. magazine. Several of the participating students now have permanent jobs with local surveying firms. The program began with MSS sending the NSPS model letter to its state career and technical education office, and the Baltimore chapter writing its local workforce development board.

To our NSPS News & Views readers: If you have engaged in Workforce Development activities in your locality/state, please share your stories with NSPS News & Views readers. The NSPS Workforce Development/Forum on the Future of Surveying initiative is a high priority for the profession.

Photo: Bryan Haynie, PS, Chairman of the MSS Workforce Development Committee and President of the MSS Baltimore Chapter of MSS joins Angel St. Jean and Megan Wiessner, Office of Employment Development with students from the 2017 Future Surveyors Program.

NSPS FoundationSince my last article we have received requests from the California wildfire victims, more applications from Florida and our first one from Puerto Rico.

Because of the number of grant requests we have received, the Trustees were forced to set a cap on the grants we will award going forward. The grants we have made have severely depleted our fund. I am very disappointed that we had to take this step. Please help us rescind this action! Your Foundation needs donations! We need money to replenish our Disaster Relief Fund! Please be as generous as possible with your donations. Please send whatever you can afford. We will gratefully accept any donation you can make! The need is not going to go away anytime soon!

Ask your state chapter to make a donation! Some chapters are stepping up with $500.00 donations. If all the state affiliate chapters did that we would be in a much better position than we are currently in.

NSPS
We hope you were able to listen to the NSPS Radio Hour this past Monday, October 30 to hear the interview with Tom Ives, owner of Bogside Publishing (which recently became a sponsor of the radio show). If you were not able to listen in "live", you can listen to or download the show from the link below, and hear Tom talk about manufacturing Surveying Field Books as well as other interesting topics.

Join host Curt Sumner this coming Monday as he interviews another interesting guest!

To listen to the current show, or archives of previous shows, visit americaswebradio.com/nsps-radio-hour. Click the "Play" arrow to on the "radio" to start streaming Audio of the current show on your computer.

NSPSAmong the programs offered through NSPS is "Hydrographer Certification". After a number of years of work within then-ACSM, the program was initiated in 1984 with the first certification being awarded to RADM Robert C. Munson in early 1985. Currently, the program is operated as a collaboration between NSPS and The Hydrographer Society of America (THSOA).

The concept for the program was in response to concerns (partially from the Federal Government) about unqualified bidders getting hydrographic surveying work. Initially, certification examinations had two distinctions – "Inshore" and "Offshore" based on survey experience within 25 miles of shore (Inshore), or areas further out (Offshore). The first exam was a comprehensive take-home essay exam requiring the examinee to explain how they would plan and complete a hypothetical hydrographic survey. Many hydrographers were awarded direct certification. Direct certification ended in 1992. In 1997, the Program was revised by combining the two certifications into one, and replacing the essay exam with a multiple-choice exam that is timed and proctored. Find more information here.

There are currently 149 Certified Hydrographers whose status is "active". Congratulations to the two most recently certified: Travis Brennan (below, left) and Brenna Hughes (below, right).

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NSPSCongratulations to President Christopher Glantz; Vice President David Anderson; Secretary Denver Winchester; and NSPS Delegate Daniel Kvaal. Click here to see bios.

NSPS is very proud of the dedication and participation exhibited by the entire national group within the Young Surveyors Network. Through their collaboration, they are laying the foundation for future strength of the profession through its national organization (NSPS) and the collective state surveying societies.

NSPSPresident Trump has issued a Presidential Memo to the Secretary of Transportation regarding the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. The policy states, "It shall be the policy of the United States to promote the safe operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and enable the development of UAS technologies for use in agriculture, commerce, emergency management, human transportation, and other sectors" and that "A coordinated effort between the private sector and among these [various units of local and state] governments will provide certainty and stability to UAS owners and operators, maximize the benefits of UAS technologies for the public, and mitigate risks to public safety and security." The Administration will seek to accelerate rules such as beyond-visual-line-of-sight and flights over people.

NSPSH.R. 2921, the "National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act of 2017" would establish a pilot program that would permit electric utilities to conduct vegetation management projects, including tree thinning and fuel reduction, within 75 feet of their rights-of-way on lands administered by the Forest Service. Firms participating in the pilot program would be required to cover any costs incurred by the Forest Service to administer the program. The bill was scheduled for action in the full U.S. House of Representatives this week.

NSPS NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd recently met with Dino Rossi (R), a candidate for an open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 8th district in Washington State currently held by Rep. Dave Reichert (R), who is retiring. The primary will be in August 2018. Rossi is now a partner at the Coast Equity Partners real estate investment company. A State Senator and Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Rossi crafted a bipartisan balanced budget that erased a massive deficit without raising taxes while still protecting the state's most vulnerable citizens. In 2004, he lost the closest gubernatorial race in U.S. history and narrowly lost a race for the U.S. Senate in 2010.

Become a Certified Survey Technician (CST)No matter what the future holds, prepare to meet challenges head on. Future-proof your resume by becoming a Certified Survey Technician (CST). This unique four-level certification program indicates official recognition by NSPS that a person can perform surveying tasks at a specific technical level.

Show what you can do! Decide between the field or office track. Visit www.nsps.us.com for details.

Did you know there is an abundance of information about the CST Program on the NSPS website?

xyHtRecently, my 4-year-old son grabbed my tape measure and began taking measurements of our living room. I asked if he wanted to be a surveyor like his dad, and he confirmed with a smile on his face.
I played a small joke on him by asking whether he had calibrated his tape and what was the standard deviation for the room width.
Although the question was perplexing to my son, the situation highlights an essential difference between surveyors and other measurement professionals.READ MORE

Inside GNSS The long-running, high stakes battle between the GPS community and Ligado Networks may enter a new phase this month when the firm presents to the nation's leading GPS experts its plan to develop a combined terrestrial/satellite network using its spectrum neighboring the GPS band.
Inside GNSS has confirmed that Ligado will speak Nov. 15 before the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board at its next meeting.READ MORE

GPS World"Prepare for Tomorrow: Find Vulnerabilities Today" was the title of our wide-ranging webinar in July that focused on GNSS signal simulation for jamming and spoofing scenarios. We did not have time to address all the questions posed by the audience, so we return to them here.READ MORE

Directions MagazineThe following is the first of a two-part series by Lance McKee, who helped found the Open Geospatial Consortium and who retired from his OGC staff position last year. In the first part, McKee explores how the scope of public health is broadening and how geospatial technology and location data will play an increasingly important role in health as we build a technology foundation for the "exposome."READ MORE